League of Legends Won't Open? Try These Solutions!

How to fix league not launching?

Are you facing trouble opening League of Legends? Do you keep getting an error message every time you try to launch the game? Don't worry; you're not alone. Many players have encountered this issue, and there are several reasons why this could be happening.

The good news is that there are simple steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem.

One possibility for why your game won't launch could be due to a corrupted or damaged game file. Another reason could be a problem with your internet connection or outdated graphics card drivers. It's also possible that third-party software may be interfering with the game's launch.

To help resolve these issues, we'll provide troubleshooting steps such as restarting your computer or device, checking your internet connection, verifying your game files, updating graphics card drivers, and disabling any third-party software that may interfere with the game's launch.

Don't let technical difficulties stop you from enjoying one of the most popular games in history. Follow our next fix guide for help resolving any issues preventing League of Legends from launching successfully.

Restart Your PC

Restarting Your PC Can Fix the Issue of the LOL Client Not Opening

If you're a fan of League of Legends (LOL), there's nothing more frustrating than not being able to launch the game. One common issue that players face is when the LOL client fails to open. Fortunately, there are several ways to fix this problem, and one of them is by restarting your computer.

Common Reasons Why LOL Won't Launch

While restarting your computer can fix many problems related to launching LOL, there might be other reasons why it won't open properly. Some of the most common reasons include:

Razer Synapse

If you're using Razer Synapse, it might be causing problems with your LOL client. Try disabling it and see if that fixes the issue.

Corrupted Files

Corrupted files can also cause issues with launching LOL. To fix this problem, try repairing or reinstalling the game.

Incompatible Software

Incompatible software can also cause conflicts with LOL and prevent it from launching correctly. Make sure that all your drivers and software are up-to-date to avoid compatibility issues.

Disable Windows Antivirus Program and Firewall

Turn off Windows Defender Firewall temporarily

One of the reasons why League of Legends (LoL) may not be opening is due to the default settings on your Windows Defender Firewall. The firewall is a security feature that helps protect your computer from unauthorized access by blocking incoming connections. While it can be useful, it can also prevent programs like LoL from launching.

To disable the Windows Defender Firewall temporarily, follow these steps:

Click on the Start menu and type "Windows Security" in the search bar.
Select "Windows Security" from the search results.
Click on "Firewall & network protection."
Choose the network profile you're currently using.
Toggle off "Microsoft Defender Firewall."

Once you've turned off the firewall, try launching LoL again to see if it works.

Uninstall third-party firewall software

If turning off Windows Defender Firewall doesn't work, you may have a third-party firewall installed that's causing issues with LoL not opening. Third-party firewalls are often included in antivirus software packages or purchased separately.

To uninstall third-party firewall software, follow these steps:

Click on the Start menu and type "Control Panel" in the search bar.
Select "Control Panel" from the search results.
Click on "Programs and Features."
Scroll down to find your third-party firewall software.
Right-click on it and select "Uninstall."

Once you've uninstalled any third-party firewalls, try launching LoL again to see if it works.

Add the game to exception list of antivirus

If you're experiencing issues with League of Legends not launching, it could be due to your antivirus software blocking the game. Antivirus programs can sometimes flag games as potential threats, preventing them from running properly. However, you can easily fix this issue by adding League of Legends to the exception list of your antivirus.

How does antivirus software affect League of Legends?

Antivirus software is designed to protect your computer from malware and other security threats. It does this by scanning files and programs for suspicious behavior or code that matches known viruses or other types of malware. While this is a useful feature, it can sometimes cause problems with legitimate programs like League of Legends.

When an antivirus program flags a file as potentially harmful, it may quarantine or delete the file, preventing it from running on your computer. In some cases, the program may simply block the file from running without notifying you.

How to add League of Legends to the exception list

Adding League of Legends to the exception list varies depending on which antivirus software you are using. However, most programs have similar steps for adding exceptions:

Open your antivirus program.
Look for settings related to scans or real-time protection.
Find an option for adding exceptions or exclusions.
Add "LeagueClient.exe" and "LeagueClientUx.exe" (without quotes) to the list of exceptions.
Save your changes and restart your computer if necessary.

Once you've added these exceptions, your antivirus should no longer block League of Legends from launching.

Benefits of adding League of Legends to the exception list

In addition to fixing issues with launching the game, there are several benefits to adding League of Legends (and other games) to the exception list:

Improved performance: By allowing League of Legends full access to your computer's resources, you may see improved performance in-game.
Reduced false positives: Adding exceptions for legitimate programs can reduce the number of false positives your antivirus program flags, which can save you time and frustration.
Peace of mind: Knowing that League of Legends won't be blocked by your antivirus program can give you peace of mind while playing.

Update your graphics card drivers

Check Your Graphics Card Model and Download the Latest Driver from the Manufacturer's Website

One of the most common reasons why League of Legends won't launch is outdated graphics card drivers. Updating these drivers can help fix this issue. To update your graphics card driver, you need to know what type of graphics card you have installed on your computer.

To check your graphics card model, follow these steps:

Click on the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of your screen.
Type "Device Manager" into the search bar and click on it.
Expand the "Display adapters" section by clicking on the arrow next to it.
Right-click on your graphics card and select "Properties."
Click on the "Details" tab and select "Hardware Ids."

Once you've identified your graphics card model, visit the manufacturer's website to download and install the latest driver for your device.

Outdated Graphics Drivers Can Cause Problems with League of Legends Client Launching

Outdated or corrupt graphics drivers can cause problems when launching League of Legends client. This is because an outdated driver may not be able to handle some of the game's features or may not support newer versions.

If you're experiencing issues with League of Legends launching, updating your graphics drivers should be one of your first troubleshooting steps. You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling them if updating doesn't work.

Other Methods

If updating or reinstalling your graphics card drivers doesn't solve this problem, there are other methods that you can try:

Run as Administrator: Try running League of Legends as an administrator by right-clicking on its shortcut icon or executable file and selecting "Run as administrator." This will give it more permissions to access files that might be causing issues.
Close Background Applications: Closing any background applications that might interfere with League of Legends could also help resolve this issue.
Repair the Game: The League of Legends client has a repair tool that can fix corrupted or missing game files. To access this tool, click on the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the client and select "Initiate Full Repair."
Reinstall League of Legends: If none of these methods work, try uninstalling and reinstalling League of Legends from scratch.

Close problematic applications and processes

Use Task Manager to view running processes

When League of Legends (LoL) is not opening, it could be due to other programs or apps running on your computer. These applications may interfere with the game or utilize too much of your computer's resources. To check which programs are running, you can use the Task Manager.

The Task Manager is a built-in Windows utility that allows you to view all the processes and applications currently running on your computer. To open the Task Manager, press "Ctrl + Shift + Esc" or right-click on the taskbar and select "Task Manager."

Once you have opened the Task Manager, navigate to the "Processes" tab. Here, you will see a list of all the active processes on your computer. You can sort them by name, CPU usage, memory usage, and more.

End task on problematic applications

If you notice any application consuming too many resources or interfering with LoL's launch process, you can end its task by selecting it from the list and clicking "End task." This will stop the program from running immediately.

It's important to note that terminating certain system processes can cause your computer to crash or malfunction. Therefore, only end tasks for third-party applications that are causing issues with LoL.

Close unnecessary background processes

Aside from ending problematic tasks directly related to LoL's launch process, closing unnecessary background processes can also free up resources for smoother gameplay. These background tasks include programs that run in the background without displaying an interface.

To close these tasks through Task Manager:

Open Task Manager.
Navigate to the "Processes" tab.
Sort by CPU usage.
Identify any high-resource-consuming background process.
Select it and click "End task."

Closing these non-essential background applications will allow LoL to use more of your computer's resources for optimal performance.

In addition to closing applications and processes, you can also try clearing temporary data or reinstalling LoL to fix any issues preventing it from launching. By following these steps, you can troubleshoot and resolve the "LoL not opening" issue on your computer.

Launch the game from the installation folder or manually

Find the Installation Folder

If you are having trouble opening League of Legends, one of the ways to fix it is by launching the game manually. To do this, you need to find the installation folder first. You can do this by going to the League of Legends shortcut on your desktop, right-clicking on it and selecting "Open file location." If you can't find the shortcut on your desktop, search for "League of Legends" in your installation directory or folder.

Launching Manually

Once you have found the installation folder, launch the game manually by clicking on leagueclient.exe file. This will bypass any issues with the launcher and open up League of Legends directly. However, before doing so, make sure that all game files are properly installed before launching it.

Troubleshooting Launcher Issues

If launching manually doesn't work, try launching League of Legends directly from its installation folder. This will also help troubleshoot any issues with the launcher. Here's how:

Go to your computer's start menu and type "File Explorer."
Click on File Explorer to open it.
Navigate to where you installed League of Legends.
Open up RADS > projects > league_client > releases.
Look for a folder with numbers as its name (e.g., 0.0.XX.XX).
Inside that folder, look for a file named "deploy."
Double-click on deploy to launch League of Legends.

Reinstalling and Updating Game Files

If none of these methods work and you're still experiencing issues with opening League of Legends, try reinstalling or updating your game files.

To reinstall:

Uninstall League of Legends from your computer.
Download a fresh copy from their website.
Follow instructions provided during download process

To update:

Open the League of Legends launcher.
Click on the gear icon located at the top right corner of the window.
Select "Initiate Full Repair."
Wait for the repair process to complete.

Run the game as administrator

What does it mean to run a game as an administrator?

Running a game as an administrator means giving it elevated privileges on your system. This allows the game to access files and settings that are normally restricted to regular user accounts. By running League of Legends (LoL) as an administrator, you can potentially fix any issues related to permissions or access.

How do I run LoL as an administrator?

To run LoL as an administrator, follow these steps:

Locate the LoL icon on your desktop or in your file explorer.
Right-click on the icon.
Select "Run as Administrator" from the context menu that appears.
If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click "Yes" to continue.

Once you've done this, LoL should launch with elevated privileges and be able to access all necessary files and settings.

Try to Repair the Game

Use the Repair Tool Provided by Riot Games

If you are experiencing issues with League of Legends not launching, one solution you can try is repairing the game using the repair tool provided by Riot Games. This tool can help fix any corrupted or missing files that may be preventing the game from launching properly.

To use the repair tool, follow these steps:

Open your League of Legends launcher.
Click on the settings icon (the cogwheel) located in the top right corner of the screen.
Select "Initiate Full Repair" from the drop-down menu.
Click "Yes" when prompted to confirm that you want to initiate a full repair.
Wait for the repair process to complete.

Note that this process may take some time depending on your internet speed and computer specifications.

Check for Any Server Issues

Another potential reason why League of Legends is not opening could be due to server issues. Check if there are any ongoing server outages or maintenance periods that might be affecting your ability to launch the game.

You can check for server status updates on Riot Games' official website or social media channels, such as Twitter and Reddit.

Look for Workarounds or Other Solutions Online

If repairing the game and checking for server issues do not resolve your problem, consider looking online for workarounds or other solutions suggested by other players who have experienced similar issues.

There are many online forums and communities where players share their experiences and offer advice on how to fix common problems with League of Legends. You can start by searching on Google or visiting popular gaming forums like Reddit's r/leagueoflegends community.

It's important to note that not all solutions will work for everyone, so it may take some trial and error before finding a solution that works best for you.

Reinstall the game

If you've tried all the previous solutions and still can't get League of Legends to launch, then reinstalling the game may be your best bet. Before doing so, make sure to completely uninstall the game from your system. Once you have done that, download and install a fresh copy of the game from the official website.

Reinstalling may take some time, but it's worth it if it means getting back into the game you love.